Sweet Annie
by IWUnurse2013
Summary: Finnick Odair knew two things for certain in his life. One, that he loved Annie Cresta with all of his heart. Two, he hated the life he was living.


**AN: This drabble would not get out of my head, so I had to write it. It's a oneshot right now, might turn into a multi-chapter fic after I finish my Everlark fic. I suggest listening to the song "Sweet Annie" by Zac Brown Band before reading, since it inspired this, and totally fits my idea of Odesta. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own THG, nor do I own the song Sweet Annie. **

Sweet Annie

Finnick Odair knew two things for certain in his life. One, that he loved Annie Cresta with all of his heart. Two, he hated the life he was living. It was one thing when he had to go to the Capitol a few times a year after he won his Games; he would lose time with his friends, but it wasn't a big deal to him. The people of the Capitol loved him, and would give him gifts just to spend time with him. Then he turned 16 and Snow's patience ran out.

The day of his 16th birthday he was sold for the first time to a Capitol woman with violet hair, and grotesque tattoos littering her green skin. Since then, he has been sold at least once a month to a high-paying customer. Most of the time, Finnick can deal with it, simply because of the threats Snow has always made against the people he loves. But after he mentored Annie's Games, he knew he'd have to keep his growing affection for the young victor a secret; if Snow found out about Annie, he would have enough leverage to finally break Finnick. And that's when Snow has truly won, when he breaks his victors, making them bow to his will.

All through the Games, Annie had seemed like just another girl from the District; she was a good swimmer, could make nets and hooks, but nothing about her seemed remarkable. But, looking back at their time together, it had been the little things about Annie that had made him realize too late that she was no ordinary Tribute. Her shy smiles, the way she sometimes would match his snarky comment with sass of her own, the fire in her eyes that was unlike the gleam in the eyes of the people he was sold to. She didn't see him as an object to have, really didn't even seem to be intimidated by his good looks, but saw him as a person, even if by that time he was mostly a hollow shell struggling to get through each day. He had fallen in love with her, and the second she entered that arena Finnick was fairly certain he would go crazy with worry.

And now, even after she had survived the arena, which was a term he used loosely as he knew there were no real Victors, he was still doing his best to protect her. But he was growing weary of the endless parties in the Capitol, and now wished he had a way to return home to his sweet Annie. He had been careful to keep her a secret, not even using her real name in the letters he sent to her when he was in the Capitol for long periods of time, "entertaining" clients. The letters are delivered to her through Mags, the older victor of District 4 who had been a great mentor to Finnick. His latest letter had been the hardest to write after being away for more than 6 weeks.

_'My love,_

_I will be coming home to you soon. I hope you know, as I continue to tell you as often as I can, that you are the only one I love. I so wish we could have the life we have always wanted, and still want: to live in peace in District 4, have a boatload of kids, and raise them to love the ocean like we do. I know my words seem empty because I'm away from you more than I am with you, but I promise with everything I am that we will be together again one day. I dream of you every night; I see your bright eyes in my mind, feel your soft skin under my fingers, and hear your sweet voice saying my name. Keep heart my love, I'll be with you soon._

_Forever Only Yours, _

_Finnick_

As he penned this particular letter, Finnick felt older than he ever had. He wasn't sure how he would ever be able to make good on his word to Annie, that they would have the life they often talked about. They had discovered, soon after her mental break in the arena, that when hysteria overtook her, she could be calmed by his voice painting a beautiful picture of their future, describing in painstaking detail the colors of the sunset on the beach, their children running around in the sand laughing with joy. Snow was keeping him busier than ever these days, and Finnick knew that it wouldn't be ending anytime soon, as long as Snow ruled Panem.

Finnick heard a knock on the door of the hotel room he was staying in currently, when he wasn't in someone else's home or at a party all night. He crossed the room in a few strides, checking through the peep hole to see who waited outside his door. It was a courier, who had an envelope in his hand. Finnick opened the door, flashing the young girl a charming smile that made her cheeks turn very pink, politely saying "Thank you" as she handed him the envelope that Finnick could now see was bearing the President's official seal.

Closing the door, Finnick looks at the envelope in his hand, hoping against all odds that this wasn't another invitation, or direct order to attend some party or spend the night with an unsavory Capitolite. He's not sure he could make it through another evening of mindless small talk, charming his way through the hell that was his life. Summoning all of his strength, Finnick tears open the envelope and manages to breath a sigh of relief at the contents of the letter.

_"Mr. Odair,_

_You have fulfilled your obligation to the Capitol and may return to District Four at your convenience. We hope to see you again soon for the 74th Hunger Games. _

_Kindest regards,_

_President Coriolanus Snow"_

He was going home, back to his sweet Annie and the ocean the two of them loved so much. Finnick knew that he would have to come back to the Capitol in a few short weeks to mentor the District Four tributes for the 74th Hunger Games, but right now all he could focus on was making the most of his time with the only woman he has ever truly loved. After the Games ended and he was finished mentoring, Finnick hoped to find a way out of this life that had been thrust upon him by a cruel dictator. The rebellion against Snow, something that Finnick had talked about and heard about in secret many times, seemed beyond hope at this point.

But one never knows when a spark of rebellion can engulf a nation, and make it burn into a flame so large even the coldest Snow can't extinguish it.


End file.
